EP Review: Natalie Wildgoose - 'Come Into the Garden'
Folk darling Natalie Wildgoose signals the start of spring with latest EP release.
The sun is shining, the flowers are blooming and it's all thanks to Natalie Wildgoose. The North-Yorkshire born songstress released her new EP, aptly titled ‘Come Into The Garden’ last week and since then, it truly feels like spring has sprung. Across six gorgeous tracks, listeners are immersed in a soundscape of whimsy and wonder as we journey through the history and landscape of the Yorkshire dales. Geography plays a vital role across the EP as each track is recorded on a different upright piano in varying locations around North Yorkshire : local town halls, isolated chapels on the edge of the moors, mills that have become listed buildings to name just a few.
The opening track, ‘Introduction’, is nothing short of hypnotic. Natalie’s voice is something out of an old Hollywood film, captured beautifully with a scratchy, analogue feel. All of the tracks on the EP were taped on a vintage Akai reel-to-reel recorder belonging to Natalie’s grandfather and each share the sense of being lifted out of a time capsule. It's a wonderful celebration of a piece of personal history and is just the start of the layering upon layering that gives this release such a unique and home-grown feel.
A personal favourite emerges in ‘Blackberries’, which features a soft lilting guitar line as well as the upright piano synonymous with Natalie’s songwriting. The lyrics make reference to our final destination and offer insight into what awaits us at the end of the EP: ‘Come on out the rain and into the garden again’. The harmonies in the chorus section give the track a sense of body, an interesting and nice shift from other songs which are markedly left bare. I surmise that this versatility and variety in sound is a reference to the natural world; at times teaming with life and character and at others soft, vulnerable and even ghostly.
The two final songs, ‘Angel’ and eponymous ‘Come Into The Garden’, are familiar comforts to fans having both already been released in the leadup to the EP. ‘Angel’ is beautifully tender, exploring the idea of opening yourself up to a world which all-too-often demands the very opposite. A declaration of love, it is one of the most heartfelt moments on the record. The piano featured on the track sits in a quiet village hall during the winter time and as she begins to play, Natalie exudes warmth and light. The book-ending symbolism of ‘Come Into The Garden’ is a perfect end to the story. Evoking images of childhood and nostalgia, Natalie welcomes us into a space that feels like home. The EP marks a journey back to where she started, a homecoming that we get to share with her.
To celebrate the release, Natalie has several gigs lined up over the coming weeks where you can experience the EP live. The launch show this week and BBC Introducing Live are highlights in the calendar but there’s plenty of opportunities to listen in. She is set to support both Chris Brain’s upcoming UK tour and has also been listed as opening for Alice Boyd and Harry Nye in April and May.
Words by Kirsty Thomson
